My sense is that Sam_Stone’s characterization of progressives’ “antisemitism” is based primarily on the fact that progressives are willing to criticize Israel when they perceive Israel’s actions against Palestinians as being outside the bounds of acceptable state behavior. And when you’re antisemitic, it doesn’t matter where the Jews are; it only matters that they’re being Jews.
Sure, it’s un-nuanced and simplistic to the point of self-parody, but when an opportunity to hurl invective at “leftists” presents itself, whaddya gonna do, NOT hurl invective?
To be sure, I don’t actually read enough of Smilin’ Sam’s output to definitively pin the above attitude on him, but what little I HAVE read hasn’t ruled it out.
Here is an idea. In order to find out whether antisemitism is more of a problem on the left of the right, why don’t we ask the Jews themselves, after all they are the ones who are experiencing it first hand.
To what extent, if at all, do you think the Democratic Party holds antisemitic views?
A lot: 11%
Some: 26%
Not much: 32%
Not at all: 29%
To what extent, if at all, do you think the Republican Party holds antisemitic views?
A lot: 27%
Some: 42%
Not much: 13%
Not at all: 15%
How much of an antisemitic threat does the extreme political left represent in the United States today?
Very serious threat: 16%
Moderately serious threat: 16%
Slight threat: 29%
No threat at all:36%
How much of an antisemitic threat does the extreme political right represent in the United States today?
Very serious threat: 49%
Moderately serious threat: 26%
Slight threat: 14%
No threat at all: 8%
And for comparison:
In your view, how much of an antisemitic threat does extremism in the name of Islam represent in the United States today?
Very serious threat: 27%
Moderately serious threat: 26%
Slight threat: 32%
No threat at all:13%
I’d also point out that the title of this thread refers to Holocaust denial. Not defund Israel. So we are really talking apples and hand grenades here.
I think you missed the sarcasm there. Especially in the next line.
BTW, Sam ignores that Israel has had a far right government for years, and maybe some of our opposition to “Israel” isn’t opposition to Israel at all but opposition to Netanyahu. I didn’t consider a European opposed to action of the Trump Administration as being anti-American.
When I was an undergraduate, I took several anthropology courses (it was my minor) that were also part of the Middle East Studies program. Most of the students I ran into who were part of the program really, really hated Israel. They were more than happy to talk about Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Jordan, etc., etc., but for the most part Israel didn’t exist to them unless they were badmouthing it. And it was odd, because they were willing to ignore any criticism about predominantly Muslim countries in regards to their governments or culture but were ready to pounce on Israel at any opportunity. Maybe it was less to do with anti-Semitism and more to do with the youthful vigor of fighting the good fight.
It’s possible to be bigoted against a country and its inhabitants. Israelis are not just “Jews who happen to live in Israel” - we’re a nation and culture unto ourselves, and someone can hate us without hating diaspora Jews. Still doesn’t make it right.
To be truthful, I’m not sure it makes much of a difference to me whether someone wants to kill me because I’m a Jew, or someone wants to kill me because I’m Israeli. Dead is dead.
Huh, more than once I mentioned how the Uyghur situation was analyzed by critical race theorists (and the papers I cited in those discussions concluded that China is not kosher on how it treats that population) and as usual I get crickets from guys like you; it is crucial for you and others like you to willfully ignore that because, as usual, it shows that your narrative here is just bull crap.
Also, a lot of criticism was directed at Trump and the Republicans for abandoning the Kurds in Syria.
I stand by my intention to accept your apologies even before you make them, which is prolly good considering that what you offer as an apology amounts to “I was wrong but it’s your fault.”
It’s especially fucked up because you purport to be lecturing me, even in that last post, even in your fucking “apology”, on what proper board etiquette is.
I’ll tell you what proper Straight Dope Message Board etiquette is: it’s not being a jerk.
Anti-semites on the Right are prone to filter their bigotry through the lens of Biblical prophecy, which often results in (at least temporary) support of Israel.
As for the Dope, things have gotten better over the years. It’s been a long time since we were treated to threads about how the Jooz control Hollywood through nefarious means, or Just Asking Questions about whether Jews fought for the U.S. in World War II.
For some, it’s that at this point in time, they hate Muslims slightly more than they hate Jews, so they support Israel on the basis of what they perceive of an “enemy of my enemy” situation.
Sam, you seem to have conflated the Southlake TX school district curriculum director Gina Peddy, mentioned in MandaJo’s Oct. 15 post #87, with the Boca Raton FL principal William Latson, mentioned in Velocity’s 2019 post #3. Gina Peddy AFAICT is white.
Well, “both” in the sense that you have now educated yourself on the subject sufficiently to agree with the people who were arguing against your initial stance that this was some kind of unheard-of fringe belief completely unrepresentative of Christianity or evangelical Christianity. Those people were indeed right.